Tag: shoichi

How popular is the baby name Shoichi in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Find out using the graph below! Plus, see baby names similar to Shoichi and check out all the blog posts that mention the name Shoichi.

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In modern times, each era name has corresponded to the rule of a single emperor. Here are the four most recent era names and their meanings:

Meiji (1868-1912) – “enlightened rule”

Taishō (1912-1926) – “great righteousness”

Shōwa (1926-1989) – “radiant peace”

Heisei (1989-) – “peace everywhere”

The current emperor, 83-year-old Akihito, hinted last summer that he wanted to step down from the throne. (He would be succeeded by his son, Prince Naruhito.)

If he does, Japan will transition to a new era name. And this could have an impact on baby names.

Data released by Japan’s Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company (est. 1881) indicates that during the early Taisho era, the most popular names for baby boys (e.g., Shoichi, Shoji, Shozo) all started with Taishō’s shō character, which means “right” or “just.”

And during the early Shōwa era, there was strong usage of Shōwa’s (different) shō character, which means “bright” or “calm.”

These days Japanese parents are less tradition-bound and more influenced by “look and sound,” said a Meiji Yasuda Life spokesperson. But if Japan’s next era name includes an attractive kanji character, who knows — Japanese parents might just start using it and kick off a new baby name trend…